Box-shaped device for holding water, such as a rainwater box, and method for using the same

ABSTRACT

A box-shaped device for holding water, such as a rainwater box, comprising at least four partially open side walls and a panel extending between the side walls and having a rectangular shape, the width of which is half the length. The panel is provided with an inspection passage which is positioned centrally in one of the two square panel halves of the panel defined by the rectangular shape, so that whenever the rainwater boxes are stacked, a vertical passage is always provided for passing through, for example, an inspection camera.

The invention relates to a box-shaped device for holding water, such as a rainwater box, comprising at least four partially open side walls and a panel extending between the side walls and having a rectangular shape, the width of which is half the length, which side walls and which panel enclose an interior space in which water can be held, the panel being provided on the inside with columns which extend substantially parallel to the side walls.

Such a box-shaped device designed as a rainwater box is known from European patent application 1,416,099. This known rainwater box uses a large number of supporting columns which serve to transfer loads to the ground below. The rainwater box provides an interior space in which water can be stored; such rainwater boxes which are stacked on top of and next to one another in the ground thus make up a reservoir with a considerable storage capacity.

In addition, a rainwater box is known which has passageways through which for example mobile inspection apparatus, such as cameras, can be driven. This means that said apparatus can be moved through the reservoir along a passageway which is substantially horizontal. The drawback thereof is that, as the reservoir is underground, access thereto is limited. This is due to the fact that, although passageways are formed in the horizontal direction in the rainwater boxes which are stacked next to and on top of one another, it is not possible to form passageways in other directions, in the vertical direction in particular. This means that it is not possible to gain access, for example from ground level, to the interior of a series of rainwater boxes stacked on top of and next to one another. Access always has to be gained from a side, which means that a manhole or the like has to be provided next to a series of stacked rainwater boxes.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a rainwater box which offers an improved inspection facility. Said object is achieved by the fact that the panel is provided with a free passage which is situated in the centre of one of the two square panel halves of the panel which are determined by the rectangular shape and by the fact that the free passage ends in the interior space enclosed by the side walls and the panel.

The rainwater box according to the invention can be accessed, for example, by inspection apparatus, in the vertical direction. This means that a reservoir that comprised of such rainwater boxes can be accessed from above, which is usually easier than from the side in the case of underground reservoirs. In addition, it is of course also possible to provide two opposite side walls with passages, in such a manner that an inspection apparatus can also be displaced inside the reservoir in the horizontal direction.

Introducing an apparatus, such as an inspection apparatus, into a rainwater box is not possible in the case of the rainwater boxes disclosed in the abovementioned European patent application 1,416,099. The variants illustrated in the latter either have a panel which does not have a free central passage or have a panel with a central column which, however, does not end in the interior space, but extends through the latter in closed form.

Preferably, each square panel half of the panel has a central free passage. The fact that the panel of a rainwater box comprises two squares means that, independent of the way in which the rainwater boxes are stacked, there is always a through passage. This is the case both with rainwater boxes which are stacked in an overlapping manner in the longitudinal direction and with boxes which are stacked on top of one another at an angle of 90 degrees.

A further advantage of the specific shape, in which the length is twice as large as the width, is the stability of the stack. The rainwater boxes can be placed in a brickwork pattern, which is advantageous for the cohesion of the reservoir.

As has already been mentioned, the inside of the panel is provided with columns which extend substantially parallel to the side walls. With a view to an efficient, stable construction, the columns are preferably arranged in a regular pattern around the passages. The passage is therefore situated outside the area of the panel defined by the columns. This means that the passage is situated outside those parts of the panel to which the columns are connected. In addition, the panel may be provided with studs on the outside. Preferably, said studs are each in line with a column. If the columns are hollow at their end which is turned away from a stud, and the diameter of a cavity of a column of a rainwater box is adapted accordingly, the studs of the one rainwater box can be accommodated inside the cavity of the columns of another rainwater box when the rainwater boxes are stacked on top of one another.

The passage is in open communication with the interior space or forms part thereof. This means that the passage is situated outside the periphery of each column. The passage has to provide sufficient room for, for example, an inspection apparatus. This is made possible by the fact that the passage is surrounded by columns in such a manner that the distance between in each case the columns of a pair of columns which surround the duct is relatively large, and the distance between the columns of other pairs of columns is relatively small, since no inspection apparatus has to be passed between said other pairs of columns.

Furthermore, each panel half of the panel may comprise nine identical square units which adjoin one another; in this case, the associated passage may be situated in the central one of said units. With such a design, the four units which are situated on the corners of a panel half may be provided with at least four columns which are situated at the corner points of said units. In addition, each unit may be provided with a fifth column which is positioned in the centre between the four columns.

For the purpose of further increasing the stability of the rainwater box, the latter may be provided with ribs on the inside of the panel. Preferably, said ribs extend between the columns and intersect with or touch the latter. Furthermore, the panel halves may be defined by a dividing line, such as a nominal line of weakening.

As has already been mentioned above, the panel halves have central passages in order to allow access in the vertical direction. In addition, in each case two opposite side walls may be provided with passages, in such a manner that access can also be ensured in the horizontal direction. In particular, the two side walls which are opposite one another in the longitudinal direction of the panel may each have a passage which is positioned centrally with respect to the transverse direction of said side walls. In addition, the two side walls which are opposite one another in the transverse direction of the panel and which each, comprise two side wall halves, each of which adjoins a square panel half of the panel, may have a passage which is positioned centrally with respect to the longitudinal direction of said side wall halves.

In general, it can be stated that with all of the abovementioned embodiments, each square panel half of the panel is of point-symmetrical design. This also applies to all columns which are positioned on such a panel half, as well as to the openings which are provided in the side walls and side wall halves adjoining the panel half.

The invention also relates to a method for using the device according to the invention. Said method comprises the following steps:

-   -   placing the device below ground in such a manner that the panel         is directed substantially horizontally,     -   moving an apparatus, such as an inspection apparatus, through         the passage provided in the panel in order to carry out work in         the interior space of the device.

As has already been explained above, a device or a collection of devices which have been stacked on top of or next to one another can be accessed from above by an apparatus. The passage which is provided in the panel of each device provides room for such an apparatus, for example for an inspection apparatus or a cleaning apparatus. Due to the shape of the panel, when the devices are stacked on top of one another, the passages thereof and the adjoining ducts are aligned with one another, in such a manner that the apparatus can pass from the top to the bottom through the devices stacked on top of one another in order to carry out work. The latter may comprise an inspection by means of, for example, a TV camera, a cleaning operation by means of a spraying device and the like.

In the text above, reference has been made to passages which are suitable for introducing an inspection apparatus into the rainwater box. However, it will be clear that the respective passages can also be used in order to pass other apparatus through, such as cleaning apparatus.

The free passage in the panel halves and/or the side walls has a surface which, as has been mentioned above, has to be suitable for allowing an apparatus, such as an inspection apparatus, a cleaning apparatus and the like, to pass through. The shape of the free passage is therefore preferably a round shape, such as a circular shape.

It is important that the dimensions of the passage in a specific direction are approximately equal to the dimensions in a direction perpendicular thereto, in such a manner that the narrow, elongate openings are excluded. Narrow, elongate openings are understood to be openings whose length dimension is, for example, five or ten times larger than their width dimension. The free passage may be defined inside an edge which may, if desired, be breakable. In this case, the free passage may acquire a larger free surface as a result of the removal of the breakable edge.

The invention will now be explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the top side of a box-shaped device according to the invention which is designed as a rainwater box;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the bottom side;

FIG. 3 shows a top view;

FIG. 4 shows a view of a long side;

FIG. 5 shows a view of a short side;

FIG. 6 shows a cross section through two rainwater boxes which have been stacked on top of one another.

The rainwater box according to the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises two long side walls 1, two short side walls 2 and a bottom panel 3. The length of the bottom panel is twice as large as its width, resulting in two square panel halves 4, 5. Said panel halves define the dividing line 6, which also continues in the dividing lines 7 in the long walls 1.

Each square panel half 4, 5 has nine square units 8, 9 and 10. Each of the square units 8 is situated on a corner of a panel half 4, 5, the square units 9 are situated in between, while the square unit 10 is positioned in the centre and comprises an inspection passage 11. Said inspection passage 11 is provided with breakable edges 28, which make it possible, in a known manner, to increase the diameter of the inspection passage 11, if desired.

Each of the square units 8 which are situated on a corner of a panel half 4, 5 is provided with five columns 12, 13. The columns 12 are each on a corner of the unit, column 13 is situated in between, in the centre. Thus, each panel half 4, 5 has twenty columns, which offer strong support for a rainwater box which is situated above or below.

Studs 14, 15 are provided on the other side of the panel 3 which are aligned with said columns 12, 13. The diameter of these studs 14, 15 is chosen such that they fit in the cavities 16 of the columns 12, 13, as is illustrated in FIG. 6.

As is illustrated in FIG. 5, the short side walls also have an inspection passage 17 which define an inspection duct extending between the latter. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the long side walls also have inspection passages 18, 19 which define an inspection duct extending between the latter. The passages 11 and 17-19 are suitable for passing mobile apparatus through, for example an inspection camera.

The inside of the panel 3 is provided with ribs 20 extending in the longitudinal direction, ribs 21 extending in the transverse direction and oblique ribs 22, 23 extending at an angle of 45 degrees, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. All said ribs 20-23 extend between the respective columns 12, 13, and intersect with these.

The outside of the long walls 1 and the short walls 2 are also provided with ribs 24 and 25, respectively, which are in line with the transverse ribs 21 and the longitudinal ribs 20. By means of all these ribs 20-25, the stability of the rainwater box can be significantly improved. An edge strip 26 runs around the square units 8-10.

As can be seen in the view from FIG. 3, the passage 11 is delimited by pairs of columns which are in this case diametrically opposite one another. The distance between in each case two of these columns forming a pair is greater than the distance between two columns of other pairs which do not delimit a passage.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1. Long side wall -   2. Short side wall -   3. Panel -   4. Panel half -   5. Panel half -   6. Dividing line panel -   7. Dividing line long side wall -   8. Square unit -   9. Square unit -   10. Square unit -   11. Passage panel -   12. Column -   13. Column -   14. Stud -   15. Stud -   16. Cavity column -   17. Passage short side wall -   18. Passage long side wall -   19. Passage long side wall -   20. Rib in longitudinal direction of panel -   21. Rib in transverse direction of panel -   22. Oblique rib panel -   23. Oblique rib panel -   24. Rib side wall -   25. Rib side wall -   26. Edge strip -   27. Interior space -   28. Breakable edge passage 

1-24. (canceled)
 25. A box-shaped device for holding water, the box-shaped device comprising: at least four partially open side walls; and a panel extending between the side walls, the panel having an inside surface and an outside surface, the panel having a rectangular shape with a width and a length, the width the panel being half of the length of the panel, and the panel having a first square panel half and a second square panel half, the first and second square panel halves determined by the rectangular shape of the panel, wherein the side walls and the panel enclose an interior space in which water can be held, and wherein the panel further comprises a plurality of columns on the inside surface of the panel, the columns extending substantially parallel to the side walls, and wherein the first square panel half of the panel comprises a first free passage disposed in the center of the first square panel half, the first free passage ending in the interior space enclosed by the side walls and the panel.
 26. The box-shaped device of claim 25, wherein the second square panel half of the panel comprises a second free passage disposed in the center of the second square panel half.
 27. The box-shaped device of claim 25, wherein the first free passage and the second free passage are disposed outside of an area of the panel defined by the plurality of columns.
 28. The box-shaped device of claim 25, wherein the plurality of columns are arranged in a rectangular pattern around the first free passage and the second free passage.
 29. The box-shaped device of claim 25, wherein the panel further comprises a plurality of studs disposed on the outside surface of the panel.
 30. The box-shaped device of claim 29, wherein each of the plurality of studs is aligned with one of the plurality of columns.
 31. The box-shaped device of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of columns in alignment with each of the plurality of studs comprises a hollow cavity formed at an end of each of the plurality of columns, each hollow cavity configured to matingly engage a corresponding stud of a second box-shaped device.
 32. The box-shaped device of claim 25, wherein the first free passage is in open communication with the interior space and/or forms part of the interior space.
 33. The box-shaped device of claim 32, wherein the first free passage is disposed outside a periphery of each of the plurality of columns.
 34. The box-shaped device of claim 33, wherein plurality of columns comprises a plurality of pairs of columns and the first free passage is surrounded by at least one pair of columns of the plurality of pairs of columns, and wherein a distance between each column in the at least one pair of columns of the plurality of pairs of columns that surrounds the first free passage is relatively large and the distance between each column in the pairs of columns that do not surround the first free passage is relatively small.
 35. The box-shaped device of claim 26, wherein the first square panel half and the second square panel half each further comprise a plurality of identical square units, the plurality of identical square units adjoining one another and comprising plurality of square corner units disposed about a centrally disposed square unit, and wherein the first free passage is disposed in the centrally disposed square unit of the first square panel half and the second free passage is disposed in the centrally disposed square unit of the second square panel half.
 36. The box-shaped device of claim 35, wherein the plurality of square corner units are each disposed at the corners of each of the centrally disposed square units, and wherein at least four of the plurality of columns are disposed at the corners of each of the square corner units.
 37. The box-shaped device of claim 36, wherein one of the plurality of columns is disposed in the center of each of the square corner units and between the at least four of the plurality of columns disposed at the corners of each of the square corner units.
 38. The box-shaped device of claim 35, wherein each of the plurality of identical square units is surrounded by an edge strip.
 39. The box-shaped device of claim 35, wherein the inside surface of the panel further comprises a plurality of ribs.
 40. The box-shaped device of claim 39, wherein the plurality of ribs extend between and intersect with or touch the plurality of columns.
 41. The box-shaped device of claim 40, wherein at least one of the plurality of ribs extends in a longitudinal direction of the panel.
 42. The box-shaped device of claim 40, wherein at least one of the plurality of ribs extends in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the panel.
 43. The box-shaped device of claim 40, wherein at least one of the plurality of ribs extends at a right angle relative to a longitudinal direction of the panel.
 44. The box-shaped device of claim 25, wherein the at least four partially open side walls each comprise an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface comprising a plurality of raised ribs.
 45. The box-shaped device of claim 44, wherein the inside surface of the panel further comprises a plurality of ribs, at least one of the plurality of ribs extending in a longitudinal direction of the panel and at least one of the plurality of ribs extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the panel, and wherein the plurality of raised ribs are aligned with the at least one of the plurality of ribs extending in the longitudinal direction of the panel and/or with the at least one of the plurality of ribs extending in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the panel.
 46. The box-shaped device of claim 25, wherein the first square panel half and the second square panel half are defined by a dividing line, the dividing line being a nominal line of weakening.
 47. The box-shaped device of claim 25, wherein two opposite side walls of the at least four partially open side walls further comprise passages.
 48. The box-shaped device of claim 47, wherein the two opposite side walls having passages are disposed in a longitudinal direction of the panel, and wherein the passages are disposed centrally with respect to a transverse direction of the two opposite side walls having passages.
 49. The box-shaped device of claim 47, wherein the two opposite side walls having passages are disposed in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the panel, and wherein the two opposite side walls having passages each further comprise two side wall halves, each side wall half adjoining either the first square panel half or the second square panel half, and wherein the passages in each of the two opposite side walls are disposed in opposite side wall halves and are disposed centrally with respect a longitudinal direction of the side wall halves.
 50. The box-shaped device of claim 25, wherein the first square panel half and the second square panel half each comprise a point-symmetrical design.
 51. A method for using a box-shaped device for holding water, the method comprising the steps of: providing the box-shaped device, the box-shaped device comprising: at least four partially open side walls; and a panel extending between the side walls, the panel having an inside surface and an outside surface, the panel having a rectangular shape with a width and a length, the width the panel being half of the length of the panel, and the panel having a first square panel half and a second square panel half, the first and second square panel halves determined by the rectangular shape of the panel, wherein the side walls and the panel enclose an interior space in which water can be held, and wherein the panel further comprises a plurality of columns on the inside surface of the panel, the columns extending substantially parallel to the side walls, and wherein the first square panel half of the panel comprises a first free passage disposed in the center of the first square panel half, the first free passage ending in the interior space enclosed by the side walls and the panel; placing the box-shaped device below ground, wherein the panel is disposed substantially horizontally; and moving an apparatus through the free passage in order to carry out work in the interior space of the device.
 52. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of inspecting the interior space of the device using the apparatus, and wherein the apparatus comprises an inspection apparatus such as a TV camera.
 53. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of cleaning the interior space of the device using a cleaning device such as a spraying device. 